


Pááikán

by Psheo



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: A little angst, Dancing, F/F, F/M, Implied that Moomin and Snufkin are already in a relationship, Joxter rekindles with his friends and family, Just a big ol Saami family, M/M, Saami Joxter, Saami Mymbles, Saami Snufkin, Too Ticky is marrying Mymble Jr, Wedding, light fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-05 19:12:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19046629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psheo/pseuds/Psheo
Summary: Snufkin really grew up without an identity. He was just himself, but when he meets the Joxter, his father, he begins to learn about his roots and culture as a Sámi person.





	1. Lah-uv lappum

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is the first fan fiction I've ever written, so it is by no means a literary masterpiece. It is just me, a Sámi Moomins fan who sees Snufkin as Sámi and wanted to write about that. I hope you enjoy this and thank you for reading.

Winter was steadily coming to an end with Spring just around the corner. This was the time Snufkin spent making his way back North to Moomin Valley. 

Snufkin usually felt lonely during this time. He'd spent such a long time from seeing his friends that his mind was only fixated on going home. 

He found a good place to camp for the night. A patch of soft earth with an opening in the trees that looked out to a river below with a hill in the distance behind it. As night fell, Snufkin struggled to light a fire. Maybe the area here was too damp but either way he couldn't cook the fish he caught without a fire. 

He sat back, feeling defeated with hunger growing on him. He looked out to the hill in the distance but now he noticed a small light flickering against the hill. 

Although he had no interest in bothering anyone, he couldn't shake his empty stomach. Snufkin went down to the hill, wandering through the river and approaching the campsite. 

At the camp Snufkin noticed the tent and the fire with fish cooking. 

"Hullo," Snufkin called to the tent. "Is there anyone here?"

As he spoke a small man stepped out of the tent. 

The man's outfit was black with red and yellow stripes on the shoulders, cuffs, collar and trim. The brooch was thin and small. His belt was white and red. His pants were dark brown and the top of the boots were red and yellow and white fur on the bottom, and he was wearing a yellow scarf and red hat. 

"Yes who's there?" He asked as Snufkin approached him. 

"I'm Snufkin. I'm sorry to bother you, but I was unable to start a fire so…" 

The man cut him off before he could finish "Oh you must be starving here you can have some of my food." 

Snufkin was shocked. Not a lot of people he'd run into during the winter would be so kind to offer hospitality. 

"Thank you." Snufkin smiled then sat on a log across from the man. 

"My name is Joxter by the way, if there are to be introductions."


	2. Mun lam puátimin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit more building up. Gonna get to the big family part soon.

Snufkin remembered that name for sure. Was this the same Joxter that Moominpappa told of in his stories? 

"Did you… Did you ever know a Moomintroll?" Snufkin asked to find out if this really was him. 

Joxter sat for a second before responding. "Yes, I did. He was such a sweet person I really do miss him. Do you know him?"

"I do indeed. He's Moominpappa now. I'm best friends with his son. He talked about you in his stories of his wild youth. I'm actually on my way back to where he lives now, Moomin Valley, just North of here."

Joxter smiled warmly, he was clearly lost in the memories of adventures with the Boat Crew. 

"Perhaps," Joxter paused "perhaps I should go visit them, in Moomin Valley. It's been a long time, and I do feel bad for leaving on short notice."

Snufkin smiled. Not only was he a bit star struck meeting someone from Moominpappa's stories, but he was glad to help him out. 

They talked about more random things for awhile, Snufkin was still interested in the Joxter's clothes. 

"I don't want to come off as rude or anything, but your clothes are so unique, I was wondering where they were from?" He asked rather bluntly. 

Joxter looked down at his clothes then back at Snufkin. 

"I made these clothes myself." Joxter beamed "My grandfather showed me how to make regalia."

"Regalia?"

"Yes, I'm Inari Sámi. This is traditional regalia."

"Whoa, that's so cool!" Snufkin smiled. 

After awhile, Snufkin set up his tent across from the Joxter's and went to sleep and was sure to thank him for his kindness. 

By morning Snufkin got ready to continue on to Moomin Valley. He told Joxter that he did prefer to walk alone, but was sure to show Joxter the directions to Moomin Valley. After that, the two set off on their own ways. 

Snufkin was the first to make it to Moomin Valley. He played his spring tune echoing through the Valley. He stepped onto the bridge and saw Moomintroll race down to him. 

"Snufkin!" Moomintroll hollered. He ran up and hugged Snufkin tightly. 

The twos talked happily as Snufkin set up his camp by the stream. 

Joxter finally arrived to the Valley himself. He looked around and spotted Snufkin and Moomintroll. 

"Moomin? Is that you?" He called to the two boys. 

"Oh, you're looking for Moominpappa. He should just be waking up now in the house." Snufkin informed him pointing up at Moomin house. 

"Oh, thank you Snufkin!" Joxter smiled, then he made his way to the house. 

"Who was that?" Moomintroll asked Snufkin. 

Snufkin smiled at Moomintroll. "That was Joxter."

Moomintroll looked shocked. "Wait, like the Joxter from Moominpappa's stories?!"

"In the flesh." Snufkin chuckled. 

Joxter made it to the front door and paused. He hadn't seen his friend in sixteen years. Would Moominpappa even want to see him? 

Joxter stood there then finally brought himself to knock. 

Moominmamma opened the door to see Joxter standing there. 

"Yes? Is there anything you need?" She smiled still looking drowsy from just waking up. 

"I…I was wondering if Moominpappa was here?" Joxter mumbled. 

"Oh he's just up in his study, arranging to continue his memoirs." She told him as she showed him you the stairs. 

He walked up till he was standing in the doorway of the study. There was Moominpappa pulling the sheet off his desk and chair. 

"Moominpappa?" Joxter finally said.

Moominpappa turned around to see his old friend standing there. 

"Sorry it's been so long."


	3. Eeči

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moominpappa scolds Joxter pretty much. This chapter is more about someone's disconnection from their culture and the importance of passing it down. Your culture is something an important part of who you are, and Snufkin never knew it.

Everyone settled around the breakfast table eating Moominmamma's legendary pancakes. Moomintroll and Snufkin sat next to each other talking quietly while Moominpappa, Moominmamma, and Joxter sat and ate silently. 

"We're so glad to see you after all this time Joxter." Moominmamma piped up. 

"Yes," Moominpappa grumbled "out of curiosity, where were you for so long?"

Joxter paused. He could feel a level of uneasiness at the table, and that Moominpappa was clearly angry with him. 

"Oh, well just around. I wander about, it's just who I am." Joxter replied nervously. 

"Mhmm" Moominpappa didn't even look up from his pancakes. "Can I talk to you after breakfast Joxter?"

"Uh, sure you can." Joxter shuttered. He felt worried, like he had done something wrong. 

Silence fell on the table. Even Moomintroll and Snufkin stopped talking. 

"Mymble Jr. and Too Ticky will be having their wedding soon. They said it was going to be in early spring after everyone hibernated after all. We should offer to help with the preparations." Moominmamma attempted to break the tension. 

"Oh that's right!" Moomintroll beamed. "Mymble is coming right?"

"Of course she is dear." Moominmamma replied warmly. 

"Mymble Jr." Joxter sat remembering her. "She was six years old when I left. She's get married now, wow that's great!"

"Yes, lots of things happen when you're gone for so long." Moominpappa continued to throw passive daggers. 

Moominmamma sighed. She clearly just wanted a calm happy conversation at the table, one she realized wasn't going to happen. 

After breakfast Moominpappa went out and stood on the porch, waiting for Joxter. 

As promised, Joxter followed him, wanting to understand just why Moominpappa was angry at him. 

They both stood there in silence, Moominpappa clearly trying to process what he was going to say to Joxter. 

"Things sure have changed huh?" Joxter said trying to break the ice. "Moominpappa now. You have a son and everything."

"Yes indeed." Moominpappa took in a deep breath. "And so do you."

That took Joxter by surprise. He was silent trying to figure out what Moominpappa meant. A son? Was he being literal or what? A who was he talking about? 

"I… I'm sorry, what did you say?" Joxter finally mumbled still lost in confusion and shock. 

"Your son, you left before he was born and he had to grow up without knowing a family. You left your friends without notice or goodbye." Moominpappa blurted out. 

Joxter didn't know what to say. He never wanted to think about how his friends would feel when he left without telling them. Perhaps it was too much to bare at the time, to say goodbye. But now he wanted to make up for it. 

"I'm sorry," he began "I should've told you, all of you. But I left everyone behind and that wasn't right."

"You didn't hurt me the most though." Moominpappa confessed. "You hurt Mymble the most. She cared so much about you, and I'm sure you did too."

"Mymble." Joxter whispered. "I don't know how I can redeem myself to her. I don't know where she is." 

"She'll be here for Mymble Jr's wedding, she might want to see you. Might." Moominpappa suggested. "As for your son, you've already met him."

"I have?"

"Yes, the one that looks just like you."

Joxter looked back in through the window. There he saw Snufkin and Moomintroll talking while helping Moominmamma clean up. 

"Snufkin?" 

"That's right." Moominpappa told him. "I always told him how much you were like him, a little too much for his own good."

"Does he know? That I'm his father." 

"No," Moominpappa abruptly replied. "That's not my place to tell him, it's yours."

Joxter wasn't sure if he could. That was an enormous responsibility to live up to, one he didn't think he was capable of.

"Would he even want to know? Knowing that I left him."

"Joxter," Moominpappa sighed putting his paw on his friend's shoulder. "He'll have to. He grew up without an identity. You got to be raised by your family, Mymble Jr got to be raised by her. You two happily embrace who you are, your cultures, but him, he's lost and doesn't even know it. No one should ever be left that disconnected."

Moominpappa then walked indoors and up to his study. Joxter went to set up his tent just across the stream from Snukin's. He would tell him, he just needed to find out how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this seems slow, but it's important. Next chapter will have the Mymbles introduced.


	4. Piäivááloddááh čuávjist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mymble Jr and Too Ticky preparing for their wedding. Mymble mama's coming to Moomin Valley.

The next day, everyone headed out to Mymble house to help Mymble Jr prepare for her wedding. 

When they got there, Little My raced out to see them. 

"I see you all decided to finally make it. I was worried Mrs. Fillyjonk was going to take control if you didn't come." Little My said with her usual positive greetings. 

"It's good to see you too Little My." Moominmamma warmly replied. 

"You made it!" Mymble Jr. called happily from the doorway. 

She walked down to greet each of them with a hug. 

"I'm so glad you all wanted to help me, Too Ticky should be here soon but for now I'll show you how my dress is coming along." She beamed. 

"Wait!" Sniff blurted out. "I'm not supposed to see it till the wedding day."

"Sniff you're not the one getting married you can see it." Snufkin sighed in response. 

Sniff paused for half a moment before shamefully mumbling "Oh Yeah." to himself. 

Mymble Jr. showed everyone inside and revealed her still in progress dress on a mannequin. 

The dress had a blue base, with elaborate embroidery on the cuffs and bottom of the dress. The belt was adorned with silver dangling gracefully down. The shawl wasn't finished yet but it was shining and white with multicolored tassels loosely hanging down. And to top it all off, an elaborate set of silver brooches spanning across the shawl. 

"Still not finished," Mymble Jr said while everyone was still admiring the dress, "I have a few more things to do for this dress but for now this is how it's going."

"Oh, it's just lovely." Moominmamma complimented. 

"Thank you so much." Mymble Jr smiled. 

"When is your mother going to arrive?" Moominpappa asked. 

"Oh by tomorrow I assume."

"That's good. I'm glad she was able to come."

Mymble Jr got some food for everyone to eat when Too Ticky arrived. 

She walked in and greeted Mymble Jr with a kiss before laying an array of flowers on the table. 

There were bundles of bluebell, wintergreen, violets, red clovers, daisies, and cornflowers radiating a lovely aroma through the room. 

"I was wondering if you liked this arrangement of flowers for our wedding?" Too Ticky sweetly asked. 

"Oh, they're absolutely lovely. You knew exactly which ones were the best." Mymble Jr beamed. 

Moomintroll picked up one of the radiant blue cornflowers and put it in Snufkin's hat, tucking it next to the feather already there, making Snufkin smile warmly. 

Everyone began to attend to their duties for the wedding. Moominmamma and Sniff were working on preparing the food, Moominpappa and Boxer were setting up the area were the wedding was taking place, Snorkmaiden and Too Ticky picked more flowers so Moomintroll and Snufkin could weave them into crowns while Little My and Mymble Jr continued to work on the dress. 

The day went by fast and soon enough night fell over Moomin valley. There was enough flowers crowns for everyone and food to make sure nobody was dissatisfied. The venue was elaborately set up and a wondrous, mystical setting, and Mymble Jr finished the dress, no one had seen the finished version but were all certain it was beautiful beyond all comprehension. 

Although everyone headed off home, Mymble Jr could hardly wait for tomorrow, thinking to herself "Tomorrow she's coming, Mama's coming back to Moomin Valley."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For clarification, I've stated Joxter is Inari Sámi but the Mymbles are Northern Sámi.


	5. Mun ahevušâm tuu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mymble's finally here, and Joxter worries she'll never want to see him.

The next morning, Little My bounded off to Moomin House. Mymble had arrived earlier that morning and was enjoying tea with Mymble Jr, so Little My was sent off to alert everyone else. 

Moomin House was just beginning to stir with activity. The Moomins were getting ready to set out back to the Mymble house for that day when Little My came.

"Little My, what a pleasant surprise!" Moominmamma greeted her opening the door. 

"I've just come to tell you my mom arrived about an hour ago." Little My jumped up and down. 

"Oh good," Moominmamma smiled, "we should be off then to go see her." Moominmamma turned back go the house. "Moominpappa! Can you let Snufkin and Joxter know we plan on going to see Mymble, she's already arrived."

Moominpappa came down the stairs in a hurry. "Of course Moominmamma, my pleasure."

Moominpappa left the house and headed toward the bridge where Snufkin and Joxter both had tents pitched. 

All the commotion had caught Snufkin's attention as he walked out from his tent. 

"Is something wrong Moominpappa?" He asked still seeming a bit tired. 

"Oh not at all, in fact quite the contrary. Mymble's arrived, you should head off with everyone else."

"Oh, thank you Moominpappa. I'll be so happy to meet her." Snufkin said while grabbing his hat and running off to catch up with Moominmamma, Little My, and Moomintroll. 

"She's here?" A voice came from the other side of the stream. Joxter had just woke up clearly, and stepped out of his tent. 

"That's right." Moominpappa replied crossing his arms. "I imagine she'd want to see you."

Joxter was silent, he definitely wanted to see her, but he was certain that wasn't a mutual feeling.

"Are you sure, after so long?" He groaned. 

"I didn't immediately turn you away so I doubt she will either." Moominpappa then headed off following the others. 

Joxter was still uneasy, but decided it was for the best to reconcile with Mymble, and thus went after following Moominpappa. 

. 

Mymble took another sip of her tea when she saw Little My running back up to the house with the Moomins following closely behind. 

Mymble got up, her children rambunctiously running around underfoot. She walked to the door to greet her friends. 

"Moominmamma! Moominpappa! Oh dears, it is so good to see you both!" She said hugging them both tightly. "And Moomintroll! How much you've grown." She then rustled the top of Moomintroll's head. 

She then noticed Snufkin, whom she hadn't ever met officially before. 

"Ah, and you must been Snufkin, yes? Moominpappa has sent me many letters and has mentioned you before. You live here in Moomin Valley, right?" She extended her hand to greet him. 

"Well kind of." Snufkin replied shaking her hand. "I just kind of roam about, I live anywhere I feel to." 

"Ah, the vagabond, yes I've met your type before." She sighed, a little sadly. 

"Mymble," Moominpappa piped up "there's someone I think you should see."

"Oh, and who might that be?" She asked. 

"Best if you see him." Moominpappa took her paw and led her a bit more down the hill. 

A bit further down, she stopped dead in her tracks. There, a small man was approaching them. She knew him, it had been so long but she knew who it was. 

"Joxter," she said looking like she was on the verge of tears, "is that you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't post yesterday and that this chapter was so short, I'll try to post more often.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you're enjoying this so far I'll definitely be adding more so I hope it turns out well.


End file.
